January 31 / 16.11 Musselburgh

16.11

Good To Soft

Each Way Extra At bet365 Handicap Chase (Challenger Staying Chase Series Qualifier) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £10562
  • 2m 7f 138y
  • Class 3
  • 7 runners
RTV
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Each Way Extra At bet365 Handicap Chase (Challenger Staying Chase Series Qualifier) (GBB Race)

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

5/2 (Won)

  • Win: £2.88
  • Place: £1.80

Form: 21-472 D

Last run: 36 days

W: 10st 11lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Front-runner who won twice last season (soft/good) and bounced back from heavy-ground blip to finish second at Aintree (3m1f, good to soft) on Boxing Day; runs well a lot more often than not and he's a leading player.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

9th Mar 2026

Good

2m 7f 3y

Class 3

15:40 Taunton

Kelce

11st 7lb

J: Bradley Harris

T: Neil Mulholland

Consistent sort who gained a first win of the current campaign in 3m Musselburgh handicap chase 37 days ago; not ruled out despite taking a 7lb hike in the weights.

7/2

1st

5

31st Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 138y

Class 3

16:11 Musselburgh

Kelce

10st 11lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Neil Mulholland

Front-runner who won twice last season (soft/good) and bounced back from heavy-ground blip to finish second at Aintree (3m1f, good to soft) on Boxing Day; runs well a lot more often than not and he's a leading player.

5/2

7/2

  • Place: £2.70

Form: 753142 D

Last run: 30 days

W: 11st 1lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
Mixed form in 2025 but ran his best race for a long time when going close here (2m4f, good to soft) under Dylan Kidd on New Year's Day; kept on strongly last time and he's run well on soft ground in the past; could be a player now back up in trip if backing up that latest performance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

15

10th Jul 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

17:57 Kilbeggan

Rexem

10st 5lb

J: Dylan Kidd

T: John C McConnell

Three wins over hurdles, 1-15 over fences; second twice over fences on decent ground at Musselburgh in January, and third in a chase at Wexford last week; previously out of the money behind Ad Caelum in a handicap hurdle at this venue.

14/1

3rd

8

3rd Jul 2026

Good

2m 3f 110y

19:25 Wexford

Rexem

10st 5lb

J: Dylan Kidd

T: John C McConnell

Three wins over hurdles, 1-14 over fences; second twice over fences on decent ground at Musselburgh in January, over 2m7f on the latter occasion, and his hurdles run at Kilbeggan last time wasn't bad; most of his better runs have been right-handed, though.

11/1

7th

9

15th Jun 2026

Yielding To Soft

3m 0f 100y

19:42 Kilbeggan

Rexem

11st 0lb

J: Calum Hogan

T: John C McConnell

3-9 over hurdles; rediscovered form with fine chase efforts at Musselburgh in January but then pulled up in Ulster National and lifeless effort on return to this sphere at Kelso when beaten 28l; risky proposition.

10/1

Form: 24-362 D

Last run: 40 days

W: 11st 1lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 122

Form & Verdict
Four chase wins in the 2023-24 season (including on soft ground); 0-11 since but ran well off this reduced mark when runner-up over C&D (good to soft) on last month's stable debut, following a break; one to consider.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

2

20th Apr 2026

Good

2m 5f 133y

Class 4

15:00 Kelso

Special Rate

11st 13lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Hugh Burns

Yet to add to his four chase wins for Philip Kirby during 2023-24 season but has made the frame on all four starts for current stable since December, most recently when third of five at Newcastle (2m4f, good) nine days ago; tried in cheekpieces today; probably won't be far away.

11/2

3rd

5

11th Apr 2026

Good

2m 4f 19y

Class 3

14:42 Newcastle

Special Rate

11st 6lb

J: Ryan Mania

T: Hugh Burns

With Phil Kirby when left alone in a match at Kelso (3m, soft) in February 2024, that being his fourth (and most recent) win over fences; runner-up in this last year (beaten 11l) for Lizzie Quinlan; in the frame three times (Musselburgh) for Hugh Burns; competes from an easing mark, needing more.

4/1

4th

1

15th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 138y

Class 4

16:20 Musselburgh

Special Rate

12st 1lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Hugh Burns

On a two-year losing spell but looks reasonably solid, having posted two respectable efforts over C&D this winter for new yard; remains well treated on peak form.

4/1

Form: 9/43P- D

Last run: 379 days

W: 12st 0lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 135

Form & Verdict
12yo who wasn't the force of old last season and was pulled up last January when last seen; however, he can go well fresh and returns on a reduced mark and with his trainer enjoying a productive winter; not discounted.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

2

8th Mar 2026

Soft

3m 0f 110y

Class 2

14:50 Carlisle

Empire Steel

11st 3lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Sandy Thomson

Very well handicapped on old form and returned from layoff with quite encouraging run at Musselburgh (2m7f, good to soft) in January but ought to have been suited by the heavy ground when tailed off at Kelso last month and it's hard to know what to expect from him here.

5/1

5th

4

13th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 7f 96y

Class 2

15:00 Kelso

Empire Steel

11st 5lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Sandy Thomson

12yo who wasn't the force of old last season but he's dropped down the weights and returned from an absence with an encouraging fourth at Musselburgh (2m7f, good to soft) a fortnight ago; could show the benefit of that latest outing today, especially now back at a track where he is four from six.

9/2

4th

1

31st Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 138y

Class 3

16:11 Musselburgh

Empire Steel

12st 0lb

J: Charlie Maggs

T: Sandy Thomson

12yo who wasn't the force of old last season and was pulled up last January when last seen; however, he can go well fresh and returns on a reduced mark and with his trainer enjoying a productive winter; not discounted.

6/1

Form: -144F3 D

Last run: 17 days

W: 10st 2lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 108

Form & Verdict
Well beaten when third at Newbury (2m7f, good to soft) this month but that was a satisfactory performance on his first run since last July; won twice in the first half of last year (3m1f/3m, good to soft/good) and it's possible he'll build on his latest effort; not ruled out.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

10th Jul 2026

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

17:35 Worcester

Always Busy

11st 7lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: Christian Williams

Stamina to spare at tonight's trip, and he's representing last year's race-winning trainer and rider combination; never especially consistent, however, and last month's Hexham disappointment as favourite took his chasing strike-rate to 2-16; unclear what to expect.

5/1

6th

4

6th Jun 2026

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 4

18:10 Hexham

Always Busy

11st 8lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: Christian Williams

1lb above last winning mark (3m, Southwell); knocking on the door at Taunton (3m4f; third) on penultimate start, and might have had a role to play in the Norfolk National at Fakenham (3m5f) latest but for falling three out.

9/2

10

4th May 2026

Good

3m 5f 24y

Class 3

16:38 Fakenham

Always Busy

10st 7lb

J: Jack Tudor

T: Christian Williams

Back in good nick for his two runs last month, latterly when close third to Wicked Thoughts at Taunton (3m4f, good); still unexposed over marathon trips and still on a workable mark; could have a say.

7/1

Form: 26-021 D

Last run: 31 days

W: 10st 7lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 114

Form & Verdict
Runner-up on November's return to action (2m6f, good to yielding) then went one better in a big field at Punchestown (2m3f, yielding to soft), getting off the mark over fences at the fourth attempt; won at 3m over hurdles and there's plenty to like about this 10yo's claims today.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

30th Jun 2026

Good

2m 7f 0y

15:50 Wexford

Sammy Smart

11st 12lb

J: Aidan Kelly

T: Thomas Gibney

A winner over hurdles and fences at Punchestown up to 3m; some good runs in defeat in the spring before a lesser Ballinrobe effort; unlucky to unseat early last time; can be a player.

9/1

1

6th Jun 2026

Good To Yielding

3m 0f 157y

15:00 Punchestown

Sammy Smart

11st 12lb

J: James Smith

T: Thomas Gibney

Both career wins came at this track, including off 5lb lower over fences in December over 2m4f; couple of good placed efforts this year, most notably when beaten 4l into third at Tramore in April (Aclass in second); let down by jumping when well-held over shorter trip at Ballinrobe 12 days ago; could figure back up in trip with 5lb claimer taking over.

14/1

8th

12

25th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 136y

19:05 Ballinrobe

Sammy Smart

10st 9lb

J: Darragh O’Keeffe

T: Thomas Gibney

Much less exposed as a chaser than many of these and did well last season; won over this trip at Punchestown and creditable efforts last twice; likely to be handy and coming back to this trip might well be a plus.

8/1

OUR TIP

Form: 771-P8

Last run: 30 days

W: 11st 6lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Easily made all in first-time visor (retained since) at Perth (2m4f, good to soft) last April and he stays this far; however, pulled up/tailed off on his two outings this season and needs to turn things around.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7

23rd Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 20y

Class 2

15:10 Perth

Inox Allen

10st 7lb

J: Alan Doyle

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Easily made all in first-time visor over C&D (good to soft) last April; hard to fancy on his three runs this term but, given his previous reaction to new headgear, it's possible cheekpieces will garner a positive response.

9/1

7th

2

31st Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 7f 138y

Class 3

16:11 Musselburgh

Inox Allen

11st 6lb

J: Patrick Wadge

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Easily made all in first-time visor (retained since) at Perth (2m4f, good to soft) last April and he stays this far; however, pulled up/tailed off on his two outings this season and needs to turn things around.

14/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £11.60
Straight Forecast £12.94
Trifecta £37.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Kelce

POSTDATA:

Sammy Smart

TOPSPEED:

Rexem

RP RATINGS:

Special Rate

Telegraph:

Kelce

Daily Mail:

Kelce

D Express:

Kelce

Daily Mirror:

Kelce

The Star:

Kelce

The Times:

Sammy Smart

The Guardian:

Sammy Smart

Daily Record:

Sammy Smart

The Sun:

Rexem